[sonserae]

Wow, not only sight disabled, but common sense disabled as well.

[Abcdefg]

I bet the drive to the lake was exciting.

[laweeks]

The president of that organization who spoke against this stupid field trip better watch out . . . sounds like hate speech! I'm still trying to figure out the Braille markings at the drive-up window at our bank. What am I missing?

[flutters]

This is sad. I had a blind babysitter when I was a kid. We didn't have any problems, but she didn't take me swimming either.

[azhenfud]

Often heard "the blind leading the blind - they both fall into the ditch". It's sad - but true....

[bedolido]

I live in Boise Idaho. A few years ago a few workers at a special needs house for kids (mainly down's syndrome)took them swimming in a Boise river (actually a very small natural lake on the river), I can't remember how many drowned, but I know at least one died. It was very sad and very stupid.

[headsonpikes]

Hold muh White Cane Alert!

[Bikers4Bush]

Weird and sad story.

[dead]

Marco!

Polo!

[Xenalyte]

This is funnier than it should be.

[Sloth]

It would only be Darwin if an adult died.

[Corin Stormhands]

It's a sad story, brought about by some stupid actions. Stupidity, even when tragic, can have its dark humorous side.

But those keywords are disgusting.

[Prodigal Son]

How do you make a sound that's not like a rabbit?

[Old Professer]

This is the price that must be paid to satisfy the idiots amonst us who would argue that "self-esteem" is more important than reason.

[techcor]

It was the diving competition that really led to trouble.

[beckett]

Mind-blowingly stupid. What a tragedy.

[N. Theknow]

When I lived in the Twin Cities I was one of the sighted members of a softball team. Each team had a sighted pitcher, catcher and two sighted spotters in the field. the pitcher would pitch to his own team and if there was a hit the team in the field would have their spotter call out a maximum of two names as to the location of the ball and to prevent players from running into each other in the field.

The ball had a beeper in it that made it possible for the fielders to locate once they knew it was in their area. The runner would dash for either third base or first base which had a buzzer in a pylon to let the runner know where to go. The base was turned on by the umpires who decided which base was to be activated before the ball was thrown to the batter.

If the fielder picked up the ball before the runner got to the base, the batter/runner was out. If the batter/runner got to the base first, it was a run. Then the players on the bench would clap so the runner would know how to get to his/her dugout from the field.

Keeping the spectators quiet while play was going on was the hardest job.

The most sobering part of the whole experience was the injury list. Having played baseball for a number of years, I had dealt with sprains, jammed fingers, pulled muscles and being hit with the ball. All of that was experienced by the players with the addition of missing practice or games because of Guide Dog training, kidney dialysis and diabetes complications.

I also found out that what Mom said about not playing with sticks because someone could get an eye poked out is true.

Having been through this, I can say that a dogged determination to be self-sufficient was at the core of most every blind person I met. And if it wasn't, his peers would let him know that he did not need to be a burden to his family, society and most importantly, himself. Sometimes it proved to be to their detriment.

But they never quit, and never let each other quit.

[hadaclueonce]

when idiots rule, they will only rule idiots

[pabianice]

Unfortunately, none were available. They were all in Miami Beach, giving driving lessons...

[Yeti]

This one really does take the cake!

That "self-esteem through denial" meme is so destructive, and it infects precisely those who need help most.

[Duke Nukum]

Does anyone remember that episode of the Lone Gunmen where the rich guy is trying to start a blind football league and the ball beeped to help the players find it.

I don't know, that show should have gotten renewed just on the strength of that gag.

But I agree that this case is sad and not funny.